Privacy
Privacy statement for ākonga, whānau and other third parties
This privacy statement explains what information Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Te Kura) collects about the people we deal with who do not work for Te Kura and how we process it.
Why we collect personal information
Te Kura collects personal information from ākonga (students), whānau (family) and other persons for the primary purpose of being a provider of education, including enrolling ākonga and delivering teaching and learning. Te Kura is also required to collect personal information in order to comply with the Education and Training Act 2020 and other requirements of the Ministry of Education. This information will be used for:
- the educational and general advancement of the ākonga
- carrying out the activities of the school
- making sure our services are fit-for-purpose and delivered in a way that meets educational standards and keeps ākonga and kaimahi (staff) safe.
The personal information that we collect
We collect personal information in a number of ways, including:
- When it is provided to us directly – for example during the enrolment process, when ākonga submit schoolwork and when completing other forms and surveys
- From third parties (usually with consent) – for example, when we receive information about the progress and achievement of an ākonga from their previous school prior to them enrolling at Te Kura
- When personal information is generated by using our systems and services – for example when ākonga use our Learning Management System (My Te Kura), or when anyone uses our website or wi-fi network
- Where CCTV cameras are operating at Te Kura’s sites (signage will indicate where this is happening). The use of CCTV is to ensure security for kaimahi and visitors, to act as a deterrent to any potential criminal activity, to help detect and capture evidence in the event of any crime, and to allow an assessment of and enable a quick response to incidents when emergency services are required. Any images captured may be viewed only in circumstances approved by Te Kura’s Privacy Officer in accordance with the Privacy Policy.
How we share personal information
The school may provide personal information to other third parties if the information relates to the education, health, welfare or safety of the ākonga, both during and after enrolment at Te Kura. These third parties include:
- government agencies such as the Ministry of Education, New Zealand Qualifications Authority, the Education Review Office, Oranga Tamariki and the Ministry of Social Development
- schools and kura that our ākonga are moving to or from, or are dual-registered for tuition
- online education providers that the Te Kura Academic Committee has approved as a beneficial educational resource in addition to its own courses.
Providing information to online education providers
Increasingly, Te Kura is facilitating access for its ākonga to a variety of online education providers that offer programmes and resources of value to students. These sites are designed for the New Zealand Curriculum and NCEA, and Te Kura recommends these sites to our students as they provide learning resources, which can supplement Te Kura courses. Te Kura makes every effort to confirm that these providers have robust privacy policies and are secure in terms of maintaining personal data.
Student name, identification number and email address, and the email address of the parent/caregiver/guardian of the student, may be provided to online providers to facilitate registration on their sites. By submitting an application for enrolment, students authorise the school to disclose such personal information to third parties in accordance with this privacy statement.
Any students with questions, concerns or feedback about such online education providers, the sites, or the registration process should email curriculum@tekura.school.nz.
Parents and guardians’ access to information
Under the Education and Training Act 2020 and the Education (School Boards) Amendment Regulations 2022, schools must report to each student at the school and their parents or guardians on the student’s progress and achievement.
Under the Care of Children Act 2004 the duties, powers, rights, and responsibilities of a parent or guardian include making decisions about educational matters whether or not the child lives with the guardian. These duties, powers, rights, and responsibilities must be exercised jointly with any other guardians of the child.
Te Kura will share the information it is legally required to with parents and guardians, including non-custodial guardians. As a child gets older and gains in maturity and understanding, Te Kura will give greater consideration to their views about how much information they wish to share with whom and how often.
Personal information about ākonga
Under the Privacy Act 2020, any personal information held by Te Kura about an ākonga other than information about their educational progress and achievement can only be released to the ākonga or their authorised agent, such as a Lawyer for the Child appointed by the Family Court. Personal information about an ākonga will only be released to another party, including parents and guardians, with the student’s written permission or where the Privacy Act or other legislation provides for an exception to be made.
Personal information about whānau and other persons
Under the Privacy Act 2020, any personal information about parents, guardians and other persons that is held by Te Kura can only be released to that person or their authorised agent. Personal information will only be released to another party with the person’s written permission or where the Privacy Act or other legislation provides for an exception to be made.
How we store and protect personal information
Te Kura may use third-party service providers to store personal information and provide us with services. This means that we may transfer personal information to, or access it from, countries other than New Zealand.
Te Kura recognises that we are accountable for the personal information we hold wherever it is in the world. Where we can, we will send personal information only to countries that have adequate privacy laws in place (such as New Zealand, Australia or the EU). However, where we cannot do this, we take reasonable steps to ensure that any third-party service providers we use can meet our privacy and security expectations.
Te Kura retains personal information only for as long we need it to perform our contractual obligations or meet our legitimate interests, or comply with our legal obligations, including the requirement to retain information in accordance with the Public Records Act 2005.
Wherever personal information is stored, we take reasonable steps to ensure that it is protected against loss or unauthorised access, modification, use or disclosure.
Requesting access to/correcting personal information
Individuals have the right to access and request corrections to the personal information held by Te Kura.
Requests to access and correct information about a student’s educational progress and achievement should be directed to their kaimanaaki (learning advisor), kaiako (teacher) or kaiawhina (support person).
Requests to access and correct information about a student’s enrolment or contact details, or the contact details of parents, guardians and other persons should be directed to the Student and Whānau Support team hub@tekura.school.nz.
Any other requests for access to or correction of personal information should be put in writing to the school’s Privacy Officer privacy@tekura.school.nz.
If you have any concerns about the way we’ve collected or processed your personal information, let us know, so we can try to put the matter right. If we can’t resolve your concerns, you can also make a complaint to the Office of the New Zealand Privacy Commissioner by:
- Calling 0800 803 909
- Completing an online complaint form at www.privacy.org.nz
- Writing to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, PO Box 10-094, The Terrace, Wellington 6143, New Zealand.